Srinagar, Sep 29: Kashmir once a preferred place for shooting Bollywood films had for sometime gone off the sight of tinsel town. But things seem changing now.
Nazim Rizvi, noted film producer, recently shot three songs of his film Qasam Sey Qasam Sey in the Valley. Rizvi used the beautiful locales of celebrated Royal Spring Golf Course, famous Dal lake and enchanting Sonamarg. The crew stayed for eight days in Kashmir during which it shot the songs. Kasam Sey, by the way, is bringing two new faces to the audience: Azim Rizvi and Faith starring the movie, while Bollywood icon Salman Khan has a special role in the film. The whole event was coordinated by a local tour operating company, Singhay Tours and Travels, Khayam Road, Munwarabad, here. Partners, Singhay Tours, Muhammad Yousuf Mir and Syed Ishtiaq Kamili told Greater Kashmir that Rizvi was so impressed by the breathtaking beauty of Kashmir that he decided to shoot his next film for 60 days in Kashmir. Interestingly, Rizvi has approached many other film producers inviting them to Kashmir for shooting their films. “Unfortunately, there are lot of apprehensions among the Bollywood regarding security and safety in Kashmir that have inhibited their coming to the Valley. But Rizvi’s initiative would hopefully remove such apprehensions,” said Yousuf. Yousuf, also a TV artist and producer, said many reputable producers have agreed to come to Kashmir. “On the advice of Rizvi, a Kolkata-based director has agreed to shoot his new film in Kashmir very soon.” About shooting experience in the Valley, Yousuf said at the local level while the police was cooperative, role of some officials was not helpful. “On the day when we had to shoot at Nishat, we had got proper permission, yet the crew had to wait for about two hours till the doors of the garden were opened. And despite our persuasion the fountains were not started,” he said. Yousuf said the coming up of the Bollywood can help create local employment to some extent, besides boosting tourism and opening a window of opportunity for local artists. “Rizvi has agreed that in his next film he will utilize the local talent,” he said.
Srinagar: His story would put Bollywood's lost and found tales to shame. Sarmad, a teenager, says he was sold for Rs.10,000 by a nurse in Srinagar's biggest maternity hospital to a childless couple Aug 2, 1994, soon after he was born.
London/New Delhi, Sep 15: A demand for resolving the Jammu and Kashmir issue through self-determination by the Kashmiris was made in the British Parliament today even as India asserted that there were effective mechanisms within its democratic framework to address any grievance. Initiating a general debate in the House of Commons on human rights in the Indian sub-continent, Steve Baker, Conservative MP, demanded that an international commission should investigate alleged human rights violations in Kashmir.
Participating in the debate, prominent Labour MP Barry Gardiner noted that plebiscite for such condition did not exist any more as Pakistan failed to withdraw its forces from the territory.Gardiner, who was previously the chairman of the Labour Friends of India, said, "There is far greater cause or human rights violations in India's neighbouring countries including, Pakistan and Sri Lanka where some of the worst human rights violations had happened in the recent memory.""On the other hand India stood as a beacon light of democracy in the region," he said.Gardiner said that India continued to stand for tolerance and human rights inspite of repeated attacks by groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).Meanwhile, India said it has taken "due note" of the UK Parliament discussing the issue of human rights in Jammu and Kashmir and said there were effective mechanisms within its democratic framework to address any grievance or any aberration."We take due note of the....Debate in the UK House of Commons...., which we believe is an initiative of back-bencher MPs and does not reflect the position of the UK government."Our views in the matter are known to the UK. Suffice it to say at this juncture that India is a vibrant democracy which fully respects rule of law and human rights," Official Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Vishnu Prakash said in New Delhi."Civil liberties and freedoms are enshrined in the Constitution of India as fundamental rights and are exercised by each and every citizen of this country of 1.2 billion people," he said."Should there be any aberration, there are enough mechanisms, effective mechanisms within our system, democratic framework to address any grievance or any aberration," government sources said here. Shabana Mahmood, Labour MP, who hailed from Mirpur district of Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK), said "All sides including India and Pakistan must pursue vigorously to find a solution to the Kashmir issue.""The plight Kashmiri people needs our attention," she said.Lee Scott, Conservative MP, said "We must get justice to Sri Lankan Tamils." He pressed for independent international investigation into the killings of Tamils in Sri Lanka.Several other MPs including Ian Austin, Labour MP, Jonathan Lord, Conservative lawmaker and Andrew Griffiths, Conservative MP, said that right to self determination was the only way to resolve the issue.
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